New England Publisher Awarded for Excellence

A former reporter for the Beverly Times has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award for journalism.

Karen Andreas, now publisher of the Salem News, was recently named the 2012 winner of the Judith Vance Weld Brown Spirit of Journalism Award, presented annually by the New England Society of Newspaper Editors for outstanding achievement in journalism by a woman.

Andreas, 45,originally hails from Fitchburg. She was a student at St. Anthony Elementary School. Her mother, Patricia Di Conza, is still employed there as the school’s business administrator. She graduated in 1984 from St. Bernard’s High School and attended the University of New Hampshire where she studied English with a minor in journalism.

After earning her stripes as an intern, Andreas began her career at the Beverly Times. As a rookie reporter, she was assigned to cover a devastating car wreck. Andrea’s coverage highlighted the fact that the wooden bridge with its faulty wheel guards which were also made of wood, failed to protect the occupants. The state replaced them with sturdy metal guard rails. Having an effect on the outcome of a critical event such as that helped her realize that impactful journalism can make a difference in her community. There’s power in the written word, a value shared by most people employed by print companies.

Andreas said:

“I believe it’s really important to have a great local newspaper,

“The people in the community deserve to know what’s happening in their city hall, in their local schools and how their tax money is being spent, and as journalists we provide that information. We are the watchdogs for the community.”